HomeMy WebLinkAboutCompass Kitchener - 2025_04_02 *c'FvIVNI�ER
Compass Kitchener Advisory Committee
Committee Minutes
April 2, 2025, 4:00 p.m.
Schmalz Room - Second Floor City Hall
City of Kitchener
200 King Street W, Kitchener, ON N2G 4G7
Present T Glover, Chair
J. Young, Vice Chair
J. Stephens-Wells , Member
C. Abarca, Member
K. Brabazon, Member
L. Thompson, Member
L. Terry, Member
L. Trumper, Member
S. Kandala, Member
R. Gill, Member
Staff: S. Sweazey, Senior Policy Advisor
A. Remillard, Committee Administrator
V. Raab, General Manager, Corporate Services
R. Voros, Natural Areas Project Manager, Infrastructure Services
M. Love, Director, Strategy and Corporate Performance, Office
of the CAO
1. Commencement
2. Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof
3. Delegations
4. Discussion Items
4.1 Advancing Truth and Reconciliation Presentation
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V. Raab provided a verbal summary of Advancing Truth and Reconciliation to
Compass Kitchener members and explained how the action item cannot be time
bound and measured in traditional Western ways. For that reason, the strategic
action item has evolved from being a measurable action item to a commitment to
and progress on Truth and Reconciliation by the city and demonstrating our
commitment through various projects and actions. R. Voros provided a summary
of such an action —the Wiijindamaan project - and provided a short 8-minute
video presentation on it.
V. Raab and R. Voros received questions from Compass Kitchener members
around the funding source of the Wiijindamaan project, and the type of
engagement the city has underaken W.Raab and R. Voros shared the
involvement of city staff members in trying to expand awareness of the project
with nearby neighbourhoods, however stressed that the City of Kitchener is not
spearheading this program, but rather is a partner in its implementation,
providing in-kind deliverables.
4.2 Project Presentation Debrief and Evaluation
T Glover requested a volunteer to take notes for the report. C. Abarca
volunteered to take notes.
T Glover indicated that they will collect comments and thoughts with respect to
each project presentation and during the next meeting, members can start
drafting the report.
Compass Kitchener members shared their comments on the Accelerating
Business Approvals project presentation. One comment was that they were done
quite well. J. Young suggested they keep the focus of the evaluation on the
precise terms of what the project was.
Members of Compass Kitchener also shared their comments on the Advancing
Truth and Reconciliation project presentation. T Glover commented there's a role
Compass Kitchener can play in using the report card, to offer recommendations
about how the city can share news of the good work it is doing without
jeopardizing the trust it has built with Indigenous communities. Another comment
was about the framework to evaluate being a western metric and that not
everything fits into western processes/ideals. J. Young suggested possibly
creating a different metric for this unique project and deciding on whether to do
so at the next meeting.
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4.3 Review Previous Minutes
The March 5, 2025 meeting minutes were reviewed.
5. Information Items
5.1 All Advisory Committee Workshop Agenda
M. Love shared the April 9, All Advisory Committee meeting agenda with the
Compass Kitchener members. She explained the roles of the facilitators as well
as the break-out sessions and asked T Glover if he would speak on behalf of
Compass Kitchener.
T Glover agreed to do an introduction and closing remarks.
6. Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 5:33 pm.
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